Principal Medical Officer: We're basically out of hospital beds

PRINCIPAL medical officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards has said the parallel healthcare system is "basically out of beds," saying beds are even having to be converted.

She was speaking at a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's on Saturday afternoon.

She said the parallel healthcare system's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is at full occupancy, the High Dependency Unit (HDU) is at 95 per cent, while the ward-level is at 66 per cent capacity. In addition to this, 57 per cent of the beds at step-down facilities are filled.

She said hospital occupancy in Tobago is at 25 per cent, it is 78 per cent at the Caura Hospital, 71 per cent at the Couva Hospital, 85 per cent at the Arima Hospital, 90 per cent at the Augustus Long Hospital and 80 per cent at St Ann's.

Richards said, "Today, I would like to let everyone know that in our previous conversations we have been speaking about ten days, five days and seven days to go before the beds are all occupied. It's no longer a five days. It has been touch and go for the last three to four days and all our beds are occupied."

She said the rate of infection continues to surpass the rate of discharges.

"At this rate, we are basically out of hospital beds. And it means, if you require care, then you will not be receiving the best level of care."

The Prime Minister questioned what would have been the case had the parallel healthcare system not been created.